Newsletter of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)
March 5, 2025

By Nathan Reigner, Pennsylvania Director of Outdoor Recreation

To many, outdoor recreation means a great time of exercise and fun with family and friends outside – at a state park or forest, on a trail or on the water.

But outdoor recreation is so much more. It also means business and jobs, and Pennsylvania is investing in growing those opportunities to benefit our communities and our economy.

What do a hotel, a fishing guide, an ice cream stand, a bike shop, an engineering consultant, and a snowboard manufacturer have in common? They are part of our outdoor industry built on the vast number of places and opportunities available in the Commonwealth to have fun and be healthy outside.

When touring Pennsylvania in 2022, we spoke with more than 500 folks invested in the future of outdoor recreation – business owners, representatives from outdoor recreation associations, environmentalists, enthusiasts and more – to develop our roadmap the future of the industry.

We joined Governor Josh Shapiro in 2023 in Connellsville, Fayette County, to launch the Office of Outdoor Recreation and in 2024 at Gilson Snow in Selinsgrove, Snyder County, for the launch of the Outdoor Business Alliance that led to Elevate -- a business engagement initiative designed to strengthen the outdoor economy by connecting with the businesses that power it.

As we’ve worked to get stuff done for the outdoor industry we are seeing results.

Discover Pennsylvania’s rich environmental history at An Evening with Allen Dieterich-Ward and DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn!

This free event will be held at Midtown Scholar Bookstore
(1302 North Third Street,
Harrisburg, PA 17102).

The Susquehanna National Heritage Area is planning a discovery center and heritage park at the 79-acre site, featuring walking trails interpreting the Underground Railroad and the Civil War battle in Wrightsville, with public access beginning this spring.

This marks the third time the Delaware River has earned the title, having previously won in 2002 and 2011, and it will be celebrated with a River of the Year Paddle in June.

The Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center sees more than 4,000 K-12 students visit annually, and investments in McConnell Hall, classroom renovations, and statewide infrastructure will enhance these spaces, support tourism, and drive growth.

March 9–15 is National Groundwater Awareness Week -- a time to learn about the importance of groundwater and ways to conserve the resource on your property!

Groundwater is water that fills cracks and other openings in the soil, sand, and bedrock. Here are a few ways you can conserve this natural resource:

For more information, see the National Ground Water Association’s resources and our website. 

Spring is quickly approaching! State parks and forests are great places to see the plants and animals become more active as the temperatures start to rise.

Check out these upcoming nature observation events:

A huge thank you to the 40 Pennsylvania firefighters who answered the call to help battle wildfires in California. Your bravery, dedication, and hard work do not go unnoticed. We’re grateful for your service and glad to have you back safe! 

 Josh Shapiro, Governor | Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
www.dcnr.pa.gov